With springtime officially in bloom, one thing comes to mind: spring cleaning. If the idea of clearing and organizing your space intimidates you—enough to even prevent you from sprucing up at all—you’ll simply need to reorient your thinking and take a smarter approach to spring cleaning.

To begin, it’s worth knowing the benefits of spring cleaning so you’ll be inspired to start and stay the course. “Spring is the perfect time, energetically, to release the old and invite the new,” says Meredith Ryness, founder of Tidy LA and a certified KonMari consultant. She adds that spring cleaning is especially relevant this year, following a two-year-plus “COVID winter” from which we’re slowly but surely starting to emerge.

She also notes how big of an impact our home environment has on our overall well-being. “When there are unfinished tasks and projects surrounding us, we feel anxiety, frustration, and even shame,” she shares. “Putting your home in order allows you to make space for the person you’re becoming and leads to a life with joy.”

On a practical level, the more organized you are on a consistent basis, the easier it’ll be to maintain a clean space in the long run. “Having a clutter-free environment makes thorough cleaning so much easier and more efficient,” she explains, which can take the stress and burden of regular cleaning off your already-busy plate.

Now that the benefits of a clean and clutter-free home are at top of mind, be sure to adopt these spring cleaning and organization tips so you can kick off the season with lightness and ease—in both your home space and your mind.

1. Discover your “why”

Before you break out your cleaning supplies, Ryness says it’s worth reflecting on why you think it’s important to have your home in order to begin with, as this clarity will inspire you to supercharge your efforts.

She invites you to ask yourself the following:

• Do I need more peace in my life?
• Do I want extra time to explore my hobbies?
• Do I have to make some changes so I can host friends with ease?

Whether your primary focus lies here or elsewhere, once you acknowledge it, it’ll put your pep in your spring cleaning step—and can very well even help you establish a deadline to get things moving. For instance, “having a small gathering on the calendar can add some external motivation to get it done,” Ryness shares. Plus, the sense of accomplishment will put you in a more positive headspace, too.

2. Start off by sorting

Sure, spring cleaning entails getting rid of dust bunnies and making your surfaces and spaces nice and shiny. However, another major component is getting rid of things you no longer need, use, or like. If you get overwhelmed easily or tend to be indecisive or, Ryness says you’ll be best served by sorting things before putting in the elbow grease.

As she explains, once you begin to spring clean, you don’t need to make a final decision “on what to keep or what to get rid of—just sort like with like.” This means getting all similar items together—whether it be the winter gear you can safely stow away, your clean makeup essentials, or kitchen supplies that aren’t in your regular rotation.

Once your things are sorted into their rightful groups, “when you’re ready to make decisions, take one group of items at a time,” Ryness continues. She also says you may want to find time for this in the morning before you tackle your daily to-dos and run the risk of decision fatigue.

3. Get comfortable with letting go

While there are many benefits of letting things go—such as reducing pile ups, donating items to people who can really use them, and making more space for things you actually do enjoy—many people are reluctant to let things go.

If you’re in this boat, Ryness wants you to remember one thing: “The little-known heart of decluttering is trust.”

In other words, have faith that you’re making the right choice to part ways with items that are simply “there”—including those that hold sentimental value. “Trust that you will retain a memory of a trip without the souvenir T-shirt you never wear. Trust that you will have plenty of dishes in your home and you don’t actually need your grandmother’s (beautiful) china that isn’t your style,” she continues.

Essentially, this all comes down to eliminating thoughts linked to scarcity or a false sense of necessity. “You have to trust that you will have what you need when you need it—then you can let go easily and with a grateful heart,” Ryness concludes. And, above all, “be honest but kind to yourself.”

For more organization tips and tricks, follow Tidy LA on Instagram.